GUECKEDOU BEAR VALLEY BIBLE INSTITUTE OPERATIONS ACTIVITY REPORT FOR MAY 2025
Greetings in the Lord beloved,
By His grace we were able to go through the month of May and are grateful not only for the support for the work we do through that support, but especially for the breath of life and good health from our heavenly Father. For these reasons, we are glad to report to and share with our able supporters and well wishers respectively, the events which transpired here at the Gueckedou Bear Valley Bible institute for the month of May 2025.
As usual, there were the classroom activities of exams and lectures, as well as the outdoor activities of evangelistic follow up works and that of the evangelistic teams work all of which was well especially again with many conversions.
Classroom:
After a week of exams for the completion of the third quarter courses, we were able to cover 3 additional categories of courses in the fourth quarter. These were: Pastoral Epistles, Church History and Homiletics 2 with brothers Etienne Millimouno and Francis Lavaley who did the last 2.
Congregational Follow-ups:
Since April and especially during the month of May we have had a series of challenges, yes, great challenges of how to keep up with the multiple congregations being planted here around Gueckedou. Our last report in April listed 10 new churches. The rather happy problems or challenges are not only for Sunday worship, but for regular care and personal evangelism around those churches. So our students, staff, team leaders, and some of the men in the new congregations have been working hard to keep up with these exercises. A short church leaders training program to help sustain these churches is scheduled to take place in June. There were 7 additional baptisms around Gueckedou during this follow up work. Then at Lola where we started the church through a cross-border evangelism in April, there were 3 conversions reported. The church at Lola which is after Nzerekor some 265 klm from Gueckedou has now increased to at least 26 members.
The Conakry team also baptised 1 soul in Coyah making a total of 11 baptisms through follow up works in May.
Evangelistic Teams work:
To the glory of God Almighty, even though some parts of the mission field are difficult, we are making much progress in other areas. Here around Gueckedou, congregations are being planted every week by evangelistic team members and the combined efforts of our staff and students.
Here is the list of 8 congregations planted in May, the number of baptisms at initial preaching, the date and by whom.
1. Bawa-tongui of Fangamandou sous-préfecture - 19 baptisms on 3rd May by Bear Valley students and the Gueckedou team members.
2. Kondoma of Fangamandou sous-préfecture - 16 baptisms on 4th May by Bear Valley students and the Gueckedou team.
3. Tongolo of Temessadou Djigbo sous-préfecture - 4 baptisms on 5th May by the Koundou L-bengou team.
4. Kassadou Daye of Temessadou Djigbo sous-préfecture - 11 baptisms on 4th May by the Koundou L-bengou team.
5. Sagbeh of Temessadou Djigbo sous-préfecture - 13 baptisms on 16th May by Bear Valley students and Gueckedou team.
6. Koliguido of Nongoa sous-préfecture - 19 baptisms on 25th May by members of the Ouende Kenema and Gueckedou teams plus one Bear Valley student.
7. Gueckedou-pombo of Temessadou Djigbo sous-préfecture - 12 baptisms on 28th May by Koundou L-bengou team members. This is the 2nd trip here. Both Bear Valley staff and the Koundou L-bengou team made the first unsuccessful campaign on March 14th.
8. Kendou Kama of Koundou Lengo-bengou sous-préfecture - 15 baptisms on 29 th May by the Koundou L-bengou team.
Efforts of the above evangelistic teams along with some Bear Valley students alone converted 109 souls in May. The overall number of baptisms is given below in the conclusion passage.
Worship Halls:
With the increase of congregations in many villages, there is a great challenge for worship halls for which we need help from any volunteers!
During the month under review, the month of May, we were able through brother Steven Ashcraft to roof 3 buildings in the villages of Botema, Yiffo and Yende-bawa of Temessadou Djigbo. Then the Niceville church, USA through brother Ken Stanley, who is also helping with this building work of roof and cement-plastering of some of the halls, also provided the roofing cost for the congregation at Maadou of Gbolodou sous préfecture.
Conclusion:
The preacher training is going well as students are being engaged in the classroom and practical exercise of preaching and evangelism.
Then we have the evangelistic teams along with other efforts, both of which planted 8 congregations. In all, the total number of baptisms for evangelistic teams and follow up works in May amounted to 120 souls.
We are grateful to Almighty God and we thank and appreciate you all, our supporters and well wishers for helping us to make Heaven rejoice through the many conversions despite the challenges of bad roads, worship halls, etc!!
Until the end of June for another report, we wish you the best of God's blessings.
Francis, Director